Handle-securing device for hammers or other tools.



No. 747,636. PATENTED DEC. 22, 1903.-

M. P. POWERS. HANDLE SECURING DEVICE FOR HAMMERS OR OTHER TOOLS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. '7, 1902. N0 MODEL. [SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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No. 747,636. PATENTED,DEG.22,1903.

f M. F. POWERS. HANDLE SECURING DEVICE FOR HAMMERS OR OTHER TOOLS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 7. 1902'.

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UNITED STATES Patented December 22, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

MILTON FLPOWERS, OF WINCHESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 747, 36, datedDecember 22, 1 3- Applioation filed February 7, 1902. Serial No. 93,000.(No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MILTON F. POWERS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Winchester, in the county of Middlesex, State ofMassachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inHandle-Securing Devices for Hammers or other Tools,of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawings.

My invention is designed to provide an improved method of attaching theheads of tools-such as hammers, hatchets, mallets, axes, adzes, and theliket.o the handles or helves by which they are manipulated.

The common method of connecting the usually metal heads of the toolswith the preferably wooden handles consists, as is well known, informing the eye or socket of the tool into whichthe handle is introducedof a tapering form having the minimum area at the side from which thehandle is introduced. After the handle enters the eye to the desiredextent its' withdrawal therefrom'is prevented by wedges, which aredriven into the part of the handle contained in the socket and split andexpand the same, so as to completely fill the portion of the eye havingthe maxim urn area. While this method of securing the handle in itsplace is temporarily effective, it is-open to several objections. Thedrying or further seasoning of the wood of which the handle is madeoften tends to cause the securing-wedge to loosen or drop out,necessitating the putting in more wedges and thus splitting up the endof the handle until its strength is seriously impaired, or, to say theleast, its appearance is much disfig- 11 red. A more serious objectionarises under the old method of securing the handles when the handlebecomes broken or when it is desired to Withdraw the one already inplace from the eye of the head.

forcibly to drive the handle from the position in which it is secured,and in most cases it is- In such case the; taper of the said eye makesit impossible come the same by providing a means of attaching the headto the handle which will be effective and simple, but yet one which willpermit the handle to be readily tightened into its place when it becomesloosened or to be readily loosened, so that it may be easily withdrawnfrom the eye when it is desired to substitute another handle therefor.

To effect the result I desire to attain, I cause the handle to besecured in the head by providing adjustable screws or Wedges, whichpress the former against the interior surface of the socket or eye ofthe latter with such force as to insure a firm frictional contactbetween the same sufficient to hold the handle fixedly in its position.The means I adopt to secure this desired result I will proceed todescribe with reference to the draw ings, in which- Figure 1 shows inside elevation the head of an ordinary claw-hammer embodying myinvention in its simplest form. Fig. 2 shows a plan View of the same,partly in section. Fig. 3 shows the end of a handle ready for fasteninginto position. Fig. 4 is a section of the same on the line 44. Figs. 5,6, and 7 show one form of securing-screws of which I make use,respectively in side elevation, in plan, and in end view. Figs. 8 and 9show plan and side viewsof the retaining device for the pins with whichI lock the securingscrews. Fig. 10 shows a pin used in locking the saidsecuring-screw. Figs. 11 and 12 show a modified form of securing-screwwith its pin-retaining cover. Figs. 13 to 22 show a modified form of myinvention, which, as illustrated, is shown in use in securing a hatchetor similar tool head to its handle. Fig. 13 is a plan view, and Fig. 14is a side elevation, of a hatchetin which is embodied the form of myinvention. Fig. l5 presents the handle end ready for insertion in theheadeye,with the wedgingdevicein position. Figs. 16 and 17 show thelower adjusting or wedging device alone in side and front elevation,respectively. Figs. 18 and 19 show plan and side views of the not usedin connection with the said wedging device. Fig. 20 shows a section ofthe handle end on the line 2i 21. Figs. 21 and 22 illustrate the detailsof the securingscrew used.

In the illustrations of the simplest form of my invention, (shown inFigs. 1 to 9,) 1 is the head of an ordinary claw-hammer, and 2 is theend of the handle to which it is to be secured. The eye 3 of the hammer1 is preferably of substantially rectangular form, but differs from atrue rectanglein having one end thereof, as 3, preferably that nearerthe effective portion of the said tool, inclined to the sides of thesaid eye, as shown in Fig. 2. The'eye is of uniform size throughout-thatis, it is not tapered in its length. The axis of the eye may beperpendicular to the tool-head or it may be given any desiredinclination in the same in order to obtain the pitch or hang of thetool-head wished for.

The portion of the handle 2, which is to be introduced within the eye ofthe head, is shaped to correspond therewith and is of a size to readilyslip into the same, forming a snug fit. On the end most remote from theinclined side of the handle are out two notches sand 5. The upper ofthese, 5, has a slanting surface, being cut deeper on one side, as at5", than on the other, 5", as will appear in Fig. 4. The lower notch isalso a recess in the side of handle, and its general character appearsin Figs. 1 and 3, where it is shown with an inclined bottomsurface,which results from the fact that it is deeper at the lower endof the notch than at the upper end of the same. When the notches havebeen cut, preferably metal strips 6 and 7 are employed, which are fittedonto their inclined surfaces.

When the handle has been made ready in the manner above stated, it isintroduced into the eye of the tool. It is then secured in place by thesecuring-screws 8 and 9, which when screwed inwardly act, in a mannerpresently to be shown, to crowd the handle forward into the cornerformed by the side 3 and the inclined end 3 of the eye with sufiicientforce to make a rigid connection between the same and the tool-head. Thelower securin g-screw 8 is fitted to a similarly-tapped hole in thelower part of the rear or uninclined side 3 of the eye and is directlyopposite the notch 4 in the handle end. By screwing the same so as tocause its end to bear against the bottom of the said not-ch therequisite pressure necessary to secure the handle in place can be easilyproduced. Furthermore, the inclination of the bottom of the notch 4 willserve to prevent the head of the tool flying off from the handle, eventhough the same may be considerably loosened therein. I The uppersecuring-screw 9 is located in the upper part of the side of thehammer-head, and the threads thereof should preferably bear somewhatagainst the side 3 of the said eye, as at 10, to give the same lateralsupport when it is desired to utilize the wedging effect of its point ina manner that will later appear. The point of the securing-screw shouldalso preferably be somewhat tapered, and the said screw should be sopositioned as to be opposite the upper notch 5 in the handle. Byscrewing in the screw 9 the efiect is to cause its tapered point to bearagainst the metal strip 7 on the surface of the recess 5, causing thehandle 2 to be forced by the wedging action so created into the cornerformed by the inclined side 3 and the adjacent side 3 By thesimultaneous action of both screws 8 and 9 the degree of force withwhich the handle end is thus secured in place is quite suificient toinsure the required rigidity of the connection between the handle andthe toolhead, and ifanylooseningoccurs in the course of use it may beeasily corrected by farther screwing in of the securing-screws or bysupplying new metal strips or shims G and 7 under the ends of the screwsof sufficient thickness to give the necessary firmness of contact.

The securing-screws may be of any desired form; but the heads thereofshould preferably be of such ashape as to allow the adjustment of thesame by the hand, thereby obviating the necessity for the use ofwrenches for this purpose. It is furthermore advisable to provide ameans of locking the said securingscrews in the desired adjustment, soas to prevent the same from working loose in use. I have thereforeinvented a securing-screw having a head of suflicient dimensions toallow of a manual operation of the same and also provided with a devicefor locking the same in the desired position. The heads are preferablyof the shape and proportions shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 7, the lengthbeing suflicient to give the leverage required to adjust by hand thesame in securing the handle. However, a slot 11 is also provided in thescrew in order that the same may be set up into place by a screw-driver,if desired. The upper part of the said head is longitudinally grooved,as at 12, the bottom thereof being undercut, as at 13, Fig. 7, orotherwise made of a greater width than the top thereof. Toward one endof the longitudinal groove it is intersected by a similar groove 14:,crossing the former, so to cause the groovings to present a cruciformappearance. At two points located in the bottom of thelongitndinalgroove equally distant from the center of the screw holes 15 are drilledthrough the screw-head. Holes 16 of substantially equal size are alsodrilled in the metal around the tapped holes in which thesecuring-screws 8 and 9 turn, the number of the said holes dependingupon the number of positions in which it is desired to be able to lockthe securing-screw. The radial distance from the axes of thesecuringscrews at which the holes 15 and 16 are drilled are the same asthose in the head of the securing-screw, so that the holes 15 in thescrewhead and those 16 in the metal around the screw-hole willsuccessively coincide as the screw is turned. When the desired positionis reached, a pin 17 may be inserted into the recess formed by thesuperposition of a hole 15 in the screw-head overa corresponding hole16in the tool-head and the further turning of the said screw will bethereby pre- 18 is made are drilled the holes vented. The pin 17 shouldbe provided with a head, as shown in Fig. 10, or is otherwise so shapedas to prevent the same from entering too deeply the holes provided forthe same.

To hold the pin 17 in place and to prevent the dropping out or loss ofthe same, I provide a retaining-cover 18 for use with the head of thesecuring-screw. In its simplest form the said cover consists of a stripof thin preferably spring metal bent double upon itself as that theupper half 18 thereof overlaps the lower 18. As so constructed, theupper half with the projections 19, giving the said retaining-cover acruciform shape, fitting the recess in the top of the securingscrewformed by the intersecting longitudinal and cross-grooves 12 and 14. Thelower half 18 is narrow enough to freely slide in the undercut 13 of thelongitudinal groove 12, but still wide enough tobe securely retainedtherein. When the locking-pin 17 is in place in the securing-screw, thecover 18 may be placed into its position by causing its lower portion 18to slip into the' undercut 13 of the longitudinal groove 12 and itsupper half 18 being slightly less in width than that of the saidlongitudinal groove 12. The said cover may he slid along in the groove12 until the projections 19 on the sides thereof come opposite to thedepressions formed by the transverse groove 14 and are caused. by thespring of the metal to be retracted therein, thus preventing the furtherlongitudinal movement of the cover 18 by accident or until it may bedesired to remove the same.

The modlfied form of securing-screw shown in Figs. 11 and 12 may be usedin place of that just described and differs therefrom principally in thepin-retaining device with which it is equipped. The head of the saidscrew is grooved at one end for a portion of its length, as at 20, andin the line of the slot 15 for the locking-pin 17. A strip of preferablyspring metal 21 of length and width sufficient to extend over thepin-holes and to cover the same is pivoted to the said head bya pin orrivet 22, and such a degree of curvature is given the said strip thatwhen the said strip coincides with the depression formed by the slot 20it springs thereinto,and thus covering and retaining the pin until thecover 21 is intentionally removed from the slot and swung aside, asshown in the dotted lines,in order to allow the removal of the pin.

The heads of the securing-screws project from the surface of the tool attheir entering points. The projection of the head of the lowersecuring-screw 8 is from the location of the same in the rear of the hammer-head and under the claw thereof comparatively unobjectionable butthe head of the upper securing-screw 9 projects from the side of thehammer-head and is very liable to injury from a glancing blow or fromother causes incident to its use. shield for its protection consistingof a tapertrcmity a wedgeblock 35.

I therefore provide a' troducing or removing the pin-retaining cover 18it is advisable to form theshield 23 with a longitudinal groove 24,passing along the length of the-same. and opposite the screw-head,having the bottom of the said groove approximately on a'level with theundercut. of the groove in the screw-head.

It is in many cases desirable to completely do away with the projectingsecuring screwheads on the side of the tool, and in such cases Irecommend the use of a modification of my method of securing thetool-heads to their handles. Figs. 13 to 22 show such modified method inuse in securinga hatchet-head to its handle. In this form ofconstruction, as in that described in the previous part of thisspecification, I secure the necessary hold of the handle within the toolsocket or eye by the frictional contact caused by forcing the formeragainst the interior surfaces of the latter; but I effect this result bya different arrangement of parts, as 1 will now describe.

In Fig. 13, 31 is the head of the tool to which the handle is to besecured, here represented as a hatchet-head. 32 shows the end of thehandle in place.' The eye 33 of the tool-head has substantially the samecharacteristics as that of the embodiment of my invention de-, scribedin a previous part of this specification. The end of the handle is alsomade of a corresponding form to fit within the said eye. The handle endis prepared for the securing devices before itis introduced in placewithin the head-eye, when the securing devices elamp the same firmly inposition in the manner which I will now describe. A bridgepiece34extends across the tool-eye 33 and is preferably dovetailed into theupper part of the metal tool, so as to be flush with the top of thesame. However, said bridge piece may be an integral part of thetool-head, if.

desired. The lower end of the handle is secured through the action of awedging device constructed preferably of metal and consisting of a shank35 carrying on its lower ex- The handle is cut away, as shown in Figs.20 and 15, for the shank 35. A recess is also cut in the handle end ofsuch a shape that the wedge-block 35 fits therein. Both the recess inwhich the wedge-block fitsand that prepared for the shank connectingtherewith are of sufficient depth to cause the entire wedging device 35to lie flush with the faces of the handle end, so as to permit thewedging device to be put in its place in the handle end before itsinsertion into the tooleye. The shank 35 is made with a threaded end 35,provided with a nut 37. The threaded end portion 35 when the handle withthe wedging device in place is inserted into the eye passes through ahole in the bridge-piece and is of length to extend above the saidbridge-piece sufficiently to afford a hold for the nut 37. On screwingup the nut 37 the contact at 38 of the inclined surfaces of thewedge-block 35 and of the recess cut in the handle will cause the saidblock to bear against the end 33 of the tooleye, and further screwing upof the nut 37 will crowd the handle securely against the opposite end 33of the said eye and hold it firmly in position.

The bridge-piece 34:, besides resisting the thrust caused by turning upthe nut 37 on the threaded end 35 of the lower securing device, alsoserves as a bearing for the upper securing screw 39, which is tappedthrough the same. The point of this screw is tapered, as shown in Figs.22 and 14, and bears against the surface of a tapering recess 40, cut inthe top of the handle end. After the lower securing device has beentightened, the screwing in of the upper securing-screws 39, bearing inthe inclined and preferably metal protected surface 40 of the recess 40,wedges the upper end of the handle forcibly against the end of thehead-eye, thus assisting the lower securing device in effecting thefastening of the tool head to its handle. When necessary, shims orstrips of metal 41 and 42 may be used under the point of thesecuring-screw 39 or between the inclined surfaces of the wedge-block 35and the wood of the handle with which it contacts.

The holes through which the screwed end 35 of the shank 35 passes andthat tapped for the securing-screw 39 are preferably located in closeproximity to one another, and the nut 37, used on the former, Irecommend making of substantially the form shown in Fig. 18 in orderthat the same may be prevented from turning by the screw 39 and may befurther protected and covered by the head of the same. The head of thesaid securingscrew is preferably circular, as shown; but the form may bevaried as desired. Thus the head may be formed with a beveled or afeather edge to improve the neatness of the appearance of the said screwor to obviate danger of injury to the screw-head by causing anaccidental blow to glance over the same. Preferably also the said screwshould be provided with a locking and pin-retaining device, as shown inFigs. 22 and 21, and embodying the same general features and details ofconstruction as those described in a previous part of this specificationand illustrated in Figs. 5, 6, and 7 or Figs. 11 and 12.

1 claim as my invention 1. The combination \vithatool-head having an eyefor the reception of a handle, and a handle received within the saideye, of a securing-screw fitted to a threaded hole in connection withthe tool-head, and having a coneshaped portion acting against a surfacewith which the said handle is provided, to wedge the handle andtool-head transversely with relation to each other and thereby securethem together, the said screw having a pocket for a locking-pin, and alocking-pin occupying the said pocket and engaging with the saidtool-head to prevent undesired rotation of the screw.

2. The combination with a tool-head having an eye for the reception of ahandle, and a handle received within the said eye, of a securing-screwfitted to a threaded hole in connection with the tool-head, and having aconeshaped portion acting against a surface with which the said handleis provided, to wedge the handle and tool-head transversely withrelation to each other and thereby secure them together, the said screwhaving a pocket for a locking-pin, a locking-pin occupying the saidpocket and engaging with the said toolhead to prevent undesired rotationof the screw, and a movable shield whereby the said locking-pin is heldfrom displacement.

3. The combination with a tool-head having an eye for the reception of ahandle, and a handle received within the said eye and having atransversely beveled or inclined locking-surface at the outer portion ofthe said eye and a similar surface at the inner portion of the said eye,and separate adjustable tapering locking devices respectively engagingwith the respective inclined surfaces of the handle, whereby the handleand tool-head are firmly connected together.

4. The combination withatool-head having an eye, and a handle receivedwithin the said eye and having a beveled or inclined lockingsurface atthe outer portion of the said eye and a similar surface at the innerportion of the said eye, a movable locking device having a wedgeengaging with one of the said inclined surfaces of the handle, and ascrew fitted to a threaded hole in connection with the said tool-headand engaging by its free extremity with the other inclined surface ofthe handle, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a tool-head having an eye, and a handle receivedwithin the said eye and having a beveled or inclined lockingsurface atthe outer portion of the said. eye and a similar surface at the innerportion of the said eye, a movable locking device having a wedgeengaging with one of the said inclined surfaces of the handle, and screwfitted to a threaded hole in connection with the said tool-head andengaging by its free extremity with the other inclined surface of thehandle, substantially as described.

6. The combination with a tool-head having an eye, and a handle receivedwithin the said eye and having a beveled or inclined lockingsurface atthe outer portion of the said eye and a reversely'inclined similarsurface at the inner portion of the said eye, a movable locking devicehaving a wedge engaging with one of the said inclined surfaces of thehandle and a screw fitted to a threaded hole in connection with the saidtool-head and engaging by its free extremity with the other inclinedsurface of the handle, the said locking device and screw respectivelyacting inopposite'dire'ctions against the corresponding inclinedlocking-surfaces of the handle, substantially as described.

'7. The combination with a tool-head having an eye, and a handlereceived within the said eye and having abeveled or inclinedlockingsurface at the outer and a similar surface at the inner portionof the said eye, a movable locking device having a wedge engaging withone of the said inclined surfaces of the handle and a screw fitted to athreaded hole in connection with the said tool-head and engaging by itsfree extremity with the other inclined surface of the handle, and alocking device to hold the screw from rotation after being set oradjusted, substantially as described. 4

8. The combination with a tool-head having an eye, and a handle receivedwithin the said eye and having a beveled or inclined lockingsurface atthe outer portion of the said eye and a similar surface at the innerportion of the said eye, a movable locking device having a wedgeengaging with one of the said inclined surfaces of the handle a screwfitted to a threaded hole in connection with the said tool-head andengaging by its free extremity with the other inclined surface of thehandle, and a movable pin applied to the said screw to lock the samefrom rotation after being set or adjusted, substantially as described.

9. The combination withatool-head having an eye, of a handle shaped tofit within the eye, and provided with a recess having an inclined face,and securing means in the said head comprising a screw havinga conicalpoint corresponding with and adapted to engage with the inclined face ofthe said recess for the purpose set forth, the head of the said screwbeing provided with an undercut slotin which the holes for thelocking-pins are drilled, a pin-retaining device sliding therein, a slotcrossing the undercut slot, and projections on the pin-retaining devicefitting into the transverse slot whereby the accidental displacement ofthe pin-retaining device is pre Vented, substantially as described.

10. The combination with a tool-head having an eye, of a handle shapedto fit within the eye, and provided with a recess-having aninclinedface, and securing means in the said head comprising a screw having aconical point corresponding with and adapted to engage with the inclinedface of the said recess for the purpose set forth, the head of the saidscrew being provided with a slot in which portion of the said eye:

the holes for the locking-pins are drilled, a

pin-retaining cover pivoted on the screw-head and adapted, whensuperimposed above the said slot, to be sprung into the same and toprevent the dislodgment of the pin, substantially as described.

11. A tool-head fitted with handle-securing devices comprising a headedscrew, and provided with a shield to protect from injury the projectingheadof the said screw, substantially as described.

12. The combination with a tool-head having an eye, of a handle fittedwithin the eye, a headed screw applied to the said tool-head to securethe handle in place, a locking-pin fitted to the head of said screw tohold the latter from accidental rotation, and a transverselymovablecover fitted to the head of the screw to hold said pin in place, thetoolhead having a shield provided to receive the said cover.

13. In combination a tool-head having an eye to receive a handle, ahandle fitted to the said eye and provided with inclined'lockingsurfacesat the inner and outer portions respectively of the said eye, alongitudinallymovable securing device having a Wedge to act against theinner incline, and a screwthreaded outer extremity, a bridge-piece atthe outer portion of said eye to which the screw-threaded extremity isfitted, a nut applied to the said extremity, and a securingscrew fittedto a hole tapped in the said bridge-piece and acting against the otherinclined surface of the handle, the head of the said screw covering thesaid nut, substantially as described.

.14. In combination a tool-head having an eye to receive a handle, ahandle fitted to the said eye and provided with inclined lockingsurfacesat the inner and outer portions respectively of the said eye, alongitudinallymovable securing device having a wedge to act against theinner incline, and a screwthreaded outer extremity, the outer portion ofsaid eye to which the screw-threaded extremity is fitted, a nut appliedto the said extremity, a securing-screw fitted to a hole tapped in thesaid bridgepiece and acting against the other inclined surface of thehandle, the head of the said screw covering the said nut and a lockingdevice to prevent the rotation of the said securing-screw, substantiallyas described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' MILTON F. POWERS. Witnesses:

LEPINE HALL RICE, WILLIAM A. COPELAND.

a bridge-piece at IIO

